Date:29/07/19
WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging service, with over 1.5 billion monthly users, but it’s always had one annoying limitation: you need your cellphone to use it. Sure, you could sign onto the Web or desktop app and access most of the service’s features, but it requires your phone be on and connected to the internet at all times, and it only works on one device at a time.
There’s a sign this is changing. According to WhatsApp leaks site WABetaInfo, the messaging app is working on a new platform that will allow for greater interoperability between devices. WABetaInfo cautions that this feature is still in the ‘rumor’ category as there are no screenshots to share, but in referring to the new feature, the author notes “everything I’ve discovered in these months leads me to that conclusion.”
The changes would reportedly allow you to use your WhatsApp account on multiple devices, without routing everything through your phone and without limiting the number of connected devices.
That would make the service work more like Apple’s iMessage or WhatsApp sibling Facebook Messenger. It could be a lifesaver for people like me, who tend to use messaging services across devices. In my case, that’s generally a smartphone, tablet, a laptop, and a desktop. Though I sometimes use the WhatsApp Web app, always needing to reconnect when I switch devices is a small annoyance.
It’s not clear how the feature will work. One of WhatsApp’s key security features has been that messages are tied to your phone number and only saved onto your phone, not some distant server. That’s why the current Desktop and Web apps need to route messages through your phone. Something would have to change for desktop and tablet apps to be able to operate independently.
Again, keep in mind this is just a rumor and it may never come to fruition, but it’s a notable enough possibility from an often reliable source. If true, the change could make WhatsApp a lot more convenient, but let’s hope the app doesn’t sacrifice security to achieve it.
WhatsApp could become more like iMessage with multi-platform support
WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging service, with over 1.5 billion monthly users, but it’s always had one annoying limitation: you need your cellphone to use it. Sure, you could sign onto the Web or desktop app and access most of the service’s features, but it requires your phone be on and connected to the internet at all times, and it only works on one device at a time.There’s a sign this is changing. According to WhatsApp leaks site WABetaInfo, the messaging app is working on a new platform that will allow for greater interoperability between devices. WABetaInfo cautions that this feature is still in the ‘rumor’ category as there are no screenshots to share, but in referring to the new feature, the author notes “everything I’ve discovered in these months leads me to that conclusion.”
The changes would reportedly allow you to use your WhatsApp account on multiple devices, without routing everything through your phone and without limiting the number of connected devices.
That would make the service work more like Apple’s iMessage or WhatsApp sibling Facebook Messenger. It could be a lifesaver for people like me, who tend to use messaging services across devices. In my case, that’s generally a smartphone, tablet, a laptop, and a desktop. Though I sometimes use the WhatsApp Web app, always needing to reconnect when I switch devices is a small annoyance.
It’s not clear how the feature will work. One of WhatsApp’s key security features has been that messages are tied to your phone number and only saved onto your phone, not some distant server. That’s why the current Desktop and Web apps need to route messages through your phone. Something would have to change for desktop and tablet apps to be able to operate independently.
Again, keep in mind this is just a rumor and it may never come to fruition, but it’s a notable enough possibility from an often reliable source. If true, the change could make WhatsApp a lot more convenient, but let’s hope the app doesn’t sacrifice security to achieve it.
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